Downtown more than buildings

• For more than 30 years, the city’s Centre City Development Corp. has controlled downtown development, funded largely by retaining a portion of property taxes from the area. Is there a need for more publicly assisted redevelopment downtown? Would planning and accountability be enhanced by folding CCDC into the city’s Redevelopment Agency?

Many of these topics already are the subject of debate, but they need to be examined collectively, in the context of a broader civic conversation about our vision for downtown.

A group of prominent local planners, architects and others interested in these kinds of issues recently began meeting to discuss designing the future of the region, including downtown. The San Diego Foundation also has been engaged in a visioning process for the region. Ultimately, a much broader spectrum of residents, property owners and agencies needs to be involved, but perhaps these initial forays can be a catalyst to a wider discussion. It is time for the discussion to begin.

Lowe is a land-use lawyer and certified urban planner who previously chaired a redevelopment commission. Stepner is a professor at the New School of Architecture and Design, and previously was the San Diego city architect.